Purpose of the Bible: To reveal God, His purpose, and yours. Jesus, in response to a question from the Disciples, says "haven't you been paying attention? if you have seen Me, you have seen the Father." Or perhaps "the mystery of God has been revealed." The mystery being the reconiliation of Man to God. Or again, "the law was added as a tutor, to bring us to Christ."

In short, the Bible is a revelation of God, His character, and the Likeness in which you were made to live.

Authorization: This is a mixed bag and really does require that we grasp the first point - the purpose of the Bible. Speaking to folks that don't grasp the first point, and who see Scripture less as description and more as rules, this will be a difficult discussion to have.

God says He also says
Or again,
It is clear that if God has told you to do something, you pretty much need to do it.

Now let's look at the Ten Commandments. They contain a list of things that we aren't supposed to do. So, we don't do those. We can though, do anything that isn't those, needing no authorization to do them.

The biggest challenge you are going to have is explaining how to read a text, with the first challenge being to understand what the author is trying to say, and then how what he says is impacted by his overall intent.

Good luck with that.

Did Not Jesus say, " I am the way I am the Truth , I am the Life

 Did He not say I am the bread of life, amyman who comes to me will not go hungry,
Did He  not say in revelation, " I stand at the door, knocking, if any man will hear my voce and open up, i will sup with Him and Him with me.

Did He not say. Joh 15:26  But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: Do you really want the truth, stop reading and go spend some quiet time with Jesus, He will show you all you need to know, If you believe He will and if you reallt want it ..

In His Love

Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.  (Luke 18:17 - Authorized Version)

Dear zoonance, I will attempt to give my idea at this using the following scriptures. There are many things not good for us bringing consequence as a result, but we are not under law.

1 Corinthians 6:12   All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

1 Corinthians 10:23   All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

Notice the following; it is no longer "Thou shalt not".

1 Thessalonians 4:3  For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

1 Thessalonians 5:22  Abstain from all appearance of evil.

Galatians 2:4  And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:

Romans 10:4  For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Titus 3:5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
 
In Jesus name - larry2 

Dear Jimmy, these are just my thoughts on it. In 1 Cor. 6 below Paul is really talking of foods and things we do. The standards of the law have not changed, and there is chastisement available for things done in the flesh. Thus things not good for us should not be practiced because we are to glorify God. That talked of in 1 Cor. 10:23 is also talking of food and ordinances.

When God deals with us, He does so as with sons. Hebrews 12:7  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

The law was a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. Galatians 3:24  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Galatians 3:25  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
 
Romans 6:14  For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Romans 6:15  What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Again here, there is consequence of sin.
 
1 Cor. 6:12  All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
1 Cor. 6:13  Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.
1 Cor. 6:14  And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.
1 Cor. 6:15  Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.
1 Cor. 6:16  What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
1 Cor. 6:17  But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
1 Cor. 6:18  Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
1 Cor. 6:19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
1 Cor. 6:20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

What are your thoughts on these verses?

In Jesus' name - larry2